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Name: The Second Line
Address: 2144 Monroe Ave, Memphis, TN, 38104
Telephone: (901) 590-2829
Price range: Under $11
Rating: 3.70

The Second Line

2144 Monroe Ave, Memphis, TN, 38104

(901) 590-2829
Store is closed

The Second Line Menu

Eat These Things First

Gulf Shrimp Midnight Snack

Natchitoches Meat Pies

Green Onions & Oyster Rangoons

Fried Oyster Salad

Brignole Salad

Roasted Beet & Feta Shwarma

Crabmeat & Fresh Corn Hushpuppies

Happy Enchiladas
Poboys

Fried Gulf Oyster

Roast White Oaks Pasture Beef with Gravy & Swiss

The Verno

Fried Gulf Shrimp

The Johnny Snack

Fried Mississippi Catfish

The Chubby Vegetarian-Mushroom Debris

Besh Bbq Shrimp

The O. G.
Plates

Fried Gulf Shrimp

Fried Gulf Oyster

Mississippi Catfish Sauce Piquant

Fried Seafood
Groceries

French Fries

Crispy Fried Onions

Fancy Ass Cole Slaw

"Hot" Potato Salad

Stewed Beet Greens

Cheese Grits

Skillet Cornbread

Healthy Meal suggestions for The Second Line

Eat These Things First

Gulf Shrimp Midnight Snack [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Natchitoches Meat Pies [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Green Onions & Oyster Rangoons [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Fried Oyster Salad [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Brignole Salad [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Roasted Beet & Feta Shwarma [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Crabmeat & Fresh Corn Hushpuppies [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Happy Enchiladas [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]
Poboys

Fried Gulf Oyster [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Roast White Oaks Pasture Beef with Gravy & Swiss [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

The Verno [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Fried Gulf Shrimp [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

The Johnny Snack [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Fried Mississippi Catfish [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

The Chubby Vegetarian-Mushroom Debris [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Besh Bbq Shrimp [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

The O. G. [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]
Plates

Fried Gulf Shrimp [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Fried Gulf Oyster [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Mississippi Catfish Sauce Piquant [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Fried Seafood [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]
Groceries

French Fries [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Crispy Fried Onions [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Fancy Ass Cole Slaw [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

"Hot" Potato Salad [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Stewed Beet Greens [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Cheese Grits [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Skillet Cornbread [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

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Write An Anonymous Review

Randy C.

My wife and I went out with friends Friday night and they had just gotten back from New Orleans and after all that talk of great Cajun food I just couldn't get New Orleans food out of my head. But in my defense neither could my wife. We discussed the next day where we should venture to that Saturday. I suggested a couple of places but when I told her about The Second Line that seemed to spark an interest so off we went. It was a very warm July afternoon and my wife wanted to sit on the patio. I don't like to sweat when I eat but was pleasantly surprised with the nice breeze as well as the fans they had, luckily blowing right at us. The patio is beautiful and I can't wait to go back at night. It definitely had a New Orleans vibe. The menu is small and not a ton of options but I liked the choices that they give you. I love Po'boys but I wasn't in the mood for them so I ordered the Fried Seafood Plate and my wife ordered the Fried Shrimp. It was all lightly fried to perfection. I loved the vinegar cole slaw but my wife didn't. More for me! The fries were great and on our next visit I'll have to get the appetizer with the pimiento cheese on them. It was an abundance of food and we enjoyed every bite. I love the food and the atmosphere and the service is good but not great. That's the only reason I didn't give a five star review. Hopefully next time the service will be as good as the food.
(4)
Wendy S.

Love this place. Yummy good, awesome patio. I do think they need sunbrellas out there. And, also, the fancy ass slaw, while yummy, just seems wrong for this particular menu. I would love to add the fresh crunch of a slaw to lots of the dishes on the menu, but the sesame seasoning reads more Asian than Cajun.
(4)
Isaac S.

Whew where do I start, this was my first visit to The Second Line and I'll definitely be back. Everything was good, atmosphere, food, service, everything. We had the andouille, crawfish & pimento cheese fries which while they looked heavy they were not in fact they were delicious. We both had the fried seafood platter and again I was ubberly impressed with the portion size and the deliciously fried shrimp, oysters and catfish. Of course we could not eat everything and thought we were done until our waitress offered up bread pudding from Restaurant Iris and again this concoction of delectable ingredients should be illegal because it was that same good. I could go on and on about our experience but writing this is bringing back delicious memories so I'll stop and say bus The Second Line.
(5)
Louise B.

I love the Second Line! I thought every poboy I've ordered was top notch. I've had the oyster, shrimp, roast beef, the pork, and chicken (I've forgotten their clever names). The spinach side was delish but very rich. The gumbo is good. Don't pass up the bread pudding dessert.
(5)
Jeannine S.

So here is an update to my last review. I ordered most of the same items (minus the cheese grits...wasn't going to go down that road again). The new items I tried were the onion rings, which were pretty good, and the hot ham and cheese po boy. The po boy was completely lacking in flavor, so I can't say I would recommend this sandwich. It was eh. However out server, Valencia, was awesome! Oh and so was the Smokey and the Bandit drink. Bravo bartender, bravo!
(3)
Candy Y.

When you love New Orleans as much as I do, sometimes you just get a hankering for some good Cajun/Creole cuisine. Several friends recommended The Second Line, and I've driven by it enough times to see that it looks like a happenin' place, so I finally decided to give it a go. Let's start with the atmosphere, appearance, etc. I LOVE the location. It's in a cute little Midtown house-turned-restaurant, and the color scheme and decor really give it an old New Orleans vibe. The staff was also friendly, cheerful and knowledgeable about the menu. We each ordered a cocktail to start off. I ordered the French 75 and my husband ordered the Sazarac. I wasn't impressed with the French 75 as it was too Gin-heavy, and I'm just not a Gin girl. I don't recall French 75's in other restaurants containing Gin as an ingredient, but maybe I'm wrong. I guess I ordered it being hopeful the other ingredients would sort of mellow it out. I took a sip of my husband's Sazerac and thought it was really good, so he offered to trade drinks with me. He's more of a Gin guy anyway. The cocktails were the same/average price as pretty much any restaurant in town, and the Sazerac left me with a good buzz after halfway through it. But now let's talk about the food. My hubby & I ordered the BBQ shrimp appetizer for sharing and the chicken & sausage gumbo. We just returned from New Orleans the previous weekend (our 12th trip down), so we were truly hopeful we had found our place here at home to tide off our Nola cravings in between trips. Guess we will have to keep looking, sadly. The BBQ shrimp appetizer has 8 shrimp in it, but for the price? I was expecting LARGE shrimp. They tasted very worcestershire sauce-heavy, which was no bueno in my book. Also, the loaf of bread accompanying the shrimp, intended for soaking up the sauce, was too flaky and not ideal for this purpose, plus it tasted more like Wonder Bread than the French bread you'd get in New Orleans. Even more disappointing was the gumbo. I was actually a little excited because it's served with corn bread. I've never had corn bread with gumbo before, but I love a good corn bread, so I was game. I prefer a darker, richer roux, (which this did not have) and it tasted very okra-intense. And where was the chicken? I found maybe 2 little shreds of chicken in my bowl. The sausage tasted like Hillshire Farms smoked sausage instead of a good spicy andouille we enjoy in New Orleans. I've made better gumbo in my crockpot at home. Also, I prefer just a tad more rice in my gumbo. The included corn bread was also a letdown. It was extremely salty, and I prefer a sweeter corn bread. Finally in an attempt to salvage our food letdown, we ordered the bread pudding for dessert. Other than the vanilla ice cream on top tasting more like food service quality, it was delicious! The candied pecans and the whiskey sauce were really amazing! In short, I'd come back here for a cocktail and/or dessert, and my husband said he'd come back for a Poboy, but The Second Line will not make it on my full rotation for restaurants to dine in Memphis.
(2)
Amanda G.

I also wanted to like Second Line. Nothing on the menu looked good. It's all poboys and fried food from what I noticed. I want to go back. Thought about 2 stars but I am trying to be positive. I will report back later. I don't understand the hype.
(3)
Linda M.

We enjoyed our food, however we did not care for the slaw. Way too vinegary. Signature drink was interesting, wine selections were good. I'm sure we will be back.
(4)
Matthew S.

Stopped in here for dinner while I was in town on business. Sat at the bar, bartenders were great. Good cocktail and beer selection. But on to the good part... The food here was fantastic. I had the Andouille, crawfish & pimento cheese fries, an oyster po boy, and cheese grits. First off, the fries were amazing. One of the best dishes I've had in a long time. A truly brilliant combination of flavors. The po boy was good as well, even better w/ some Louisiana Hot Sauce, per the bartender's recommendation. The grits were good as well, but not the best I've had. I'll give the grits 4/5 stars. The place has a laid back atmosphere and nice dÃ©cor. If I'm back in Memphis again, I'll definitely be coming back.
(5)
Jason K.

Well, I have to say I loved the vibe of this place...nice and casual. For the most part, I liked the food...but wow...for such informality this is a pricey little spot. dinner for two with one cheap beer each ran us over $100! Whew...can't indulge here as much as I'd like. We started out with the BBQ shrimp and marinated crab claws. Though my wife enjoyed them, I was not as enthralled. The crab claws were so small that they had more cracked shell than meat. In Maryland, we wouldn't even bother with such puny midgets. And then there were the shrimp...the sauce was great (but you have to really love Worcestershire since it is basically reduced Worcestershire and butter). Unfortunately, the shrimp were afflicted with the telltale taste of iodine...at this point, I've basically given up on finding decent shrimp in Memphis! Entrees were awesome...I had the special soft-shell crab poboy, and my wife had the fried oyster plate. My poboy was perfectly dressed and the bread was hot and crusty. The crab was a little on the small side, but was perfectly battered and fried. In all, delicious. The accompanying onion rings were just like I prefer...battered rather than breaded. They were fantastic. Even so, I was envious of my wife's dinner...she got a humongous portion of fired oysters...there must have been a dozen of the suckers. They were tender yet scaldingly hot...yum. Fries and cole slaw were tasty too. For desert, we shared a banana cake with cinnamon gelato...I guess their take on bananas foster...it was cloyingly sweet and the cake tasted too much like soggy banana bread. So over $100 for this dinner...I think it's a bit steep. Admittedly, I have my prejudices against poboys...I have had plenty of them in New Orleans, yet to me, they're no more special than any other subs that I have had. In fact, I'll take a hoagie from Hoagie Haven in NJ anytime. The poboys here run $16 (mine was $18)...in my opinion, way steep for just an 8" sandwich. I'd love to come back next time to dig into the fried oyster plate!
(3)
Tom S.

WTF. This is much better than a 3 star. Get off your high horse and enjoy some of the best grub in Memphis. Love this place. Chicago could use talent like this- my hometown
(5)
Ashtyn L.

Atmosphere = fun, low key, staff makes you feel like friends Drinks= still trying to make some of their drinks at home but can't bc they were so good and different! Prices weren't bad either! Food = just let the wait staff explain the items and you will understand why we ordered everything she recommended! They did an excellent job at describing every dish and it was spot on!
(5)
Sid P.

Decent food and service, laser focus on turning tables over, annoying seating/hostess system, automatic assumption that their service is worth 20% for parties of 6 (no mention by server). Will avoid in future.
(2)
Ashley J.

Absolutely in love with the barbeque shrimp! I have grown up eating classic Cajun barbeque shrimp, and The Second Line's recipe does not disappoint, ever. The oyster po boy was fresh and delicious, the oysters were not greasy or lacking. The Verno po boy (braised chicken thighs) is so moist and flavorful, this is another must try item. Also, I must mention that their drinks... are amazing! I am a gin drinker, and they have options for people like me! The drinks tend to be a bit strong, but from my point of view, this is not a problem. I just mention that as a warning to those that may not like strong drinks. The service has been good, not great, but never bad service. This place stays busy, and I know the food is cooked to order, so I just sit back and enjoy my gin drink.
(5)
Jen A.

Ate on a date w/my daughter. Nothing for kids so skip it if you have little ones with you. She ordered the burger upon suggestion by our server. It was good but being on a po boy bun made it huge for her. I had gumbo, I think, it wasn't memorable, not a full body of flavors like I expected it to be from all the hype about the restaurant. Our (pregnant) server seemed annoyed that we were there and it showed in our empty drinks. It was good we were sitting so close to the host so she refilled our drinks. I had to stop the server to ask for our food to be boxed and the check.....then again for the check. Overall just a very OK experience not great or particularly memorable as I had hoped. I left out that we were in a standard height table with a pub height at an uncomfortable distance. We had dinner with the gentleman's butt crack.
(3)
Raymond B.

I'm a big fan of The Second Line. Just like others mention, there are always kinks to work out, but for the most part they are succeeding on what they intended to do. Serve Southern food in a Southern way, in a place that's packed with people and good drinks. Now, with the patio opening up (and what looks like a bar being installed outside?!), the overcrowding issue should be somewhat alleviated, and they'll continue to improve and turn more food over. Po'boys are po'boys, and they do them right here... so go, grab a drink, wait for your seat, get a po'boy, and enjoy.
(4)
Amber C.

So I really want to love Second Line. I know one of the bartenders, who I absolutely love, and it's so close to my house, and that patio, and it's Kelly English! But I just...don't. It's...meh. The first time I went it was cold. Got a beer (good beer), and some food (good, but TINY for an outrageous price). Promptly got sick. I'm not saying it gave me food poisoning. But I definitely was sick for days after eating only the cheese fries. Second time we sat on the patio because it was beautiful. A random, unexpected beautiful day, so no outside server. No big, we just ordered beers from the bar. They finally added an outdoor server, which would have been great, but she was awful. Rude, and we ordered beers, waited 45 minutes, decided to leave, and found out she had just then put the beers in. She tried to charge us for them, but we said we weren't going to drink them and that was ridiculous. Last time, a friend and I tried to go during a week of 70 degree days. No outside server. We were told that we could get a drink, but we couldn't take food out there. I get it. I do. And I didn't want to get kicked out for just taking my food out there anyway. But really? A week of beautiful days and you don't schedule anyone to work the patio? There are a ton of servers in Memphis who would love a job. And if I'm willing to pay $16 for a poboy, I feel like I should be able to eat it wherever I please, within reason. I think it's a great concept, and that patio is amazing, but it's going to waste because of the awful service and lack of ability to eat outside. Memphians are patio sitters of the highest degree - don't build a patio like that, charge me too much to eat on it, and then not let me eat on it. Also, maybe get some better servers. I've had bad service, and rudeness, from everyone but the person I know from outside there. Not okay, especially not for such a well-established brand and local business.
(2)
Jim H.

Our first visit was on a Sunday at 2:30pm. The place is inviting and has great appeal when you walk in. We were quickly greeted and requested the patio, which was not available/had a LONG wait, so we requested one of the front tables by the window, which the person was going to clean. While waiting for the table to be cleaned, another couple came in (actually 3rd couple to come in behind us) and a different staffer took the couple directly to the table we were waiting on. Well, yes, we were a little put off and did say something to the staff before the couple got seated. It didn't matter, by golly! They now had dibs on our table and that was that! Obviously, I'm now, not in a pleasant mood (okay, I pouted, because I didn't get what I wanted). Anyway, our new waitress was very pleasant (didn't offer to make amends, but was very attentive and pleasant) and she and my wife slowly worked me out of my funk! :-) Well, on to the food. We ordered the fried oyster plate and the roast beef with gravy poboy, based on the waitress's recommendation and actually, the recommendation of a great couple we had struck up a conversation with, sitting at the bar by the front door. They were both absolutely spot-on! The food was really prepared well and had a great taste. The poboy was so good that I decided then and there that I could and indeed would forgive the earlier oversight and will go back again for the food. I want to give the place a 3-star for the airhead who seated a couple, arriving 3rd behind us at a table we had been waiting 10 minutes for, but our waitress and the food keeps it up higher. I do think I could even give a 5-star rating with an overall great experience and consistent great food on follow-up visits. Overall, the food was outstanding and our waitress was great!
(4)
Cristina H.

This place is hard to review. It's basically a place that has the name and rep to last. I wanted to loooooove this place being that I know I could probably never afford Iris. But honestly two things I did love was the bartender/drinks(from cortona bartender that I loved then too) and the pimento cheese fries. I received plenty crawfish and it was just DELISH and my dirty martini was friggin dangerously good. Chef English came by to all the tables to speak and honestly he did like they all do and said "how is everything" while continuing to walk which to me i would rather not even see you if you really wanna know. Bc no everything isn't okay but how can I tell you that? You're "chef English" I want to tell you that these red beans and rice are too bland for a CAJUN place and that my Enchilada must have been vegetarian bc there was literally no meat in one side of it but I'm so distracted by the bartenders awesome service and these fries that I just said "everything's good thank you" but hmmm maybe he will see my review. But anywho I say it's good but I'm in no need to return for a whole meal. Maybe get a martini and some fries though lol.
(4)
Michele S.

I've been twice now and both times was not disappointed. They don't take reservations so it's not good for large groups and I recommend getting there early in the weekend. Service has been good and has a good atmosphere. Must try appetizers are the pimento cheese fries and the BBQ shrimp. The po boys are some of the best I've had outside of the New Orleans with fresh French bread. I prefer the pulled pork po boy. And has a fantastic bread pudding.
(4)
Laura H.

I love cajun food but my meal was just okay. I was so excited to see the OG aka french fry po boy on the menu. When I was in New Orleans earlier this year eating my way through the city, this po boy was a life changer. One of the best things I've ever eaten!! I know chefs like to put their own spin on things, but the OG was a huge disappointment. The fries were obviously homemade, but a little bulky and overcooked, and with a tiny ramekin of thin, brothy gravy it made for a very dry sandwich. The one I had in NO required 5 napkins due to the generous portion of thick brown gravy ladled over it. I also had a meat pie, good but a bit dry. The red beans and rice had a nice flavor, but again, a little dry. The best item I had was the deliciously creamy and cheesy spinach. The service was good and the restaurant has a nice ambience, I was just expecting so much more from the food.
(2)
Caroline V.

The food was fine (if a bit heavy). Our waiter was great, very friendly and helpful. $5 margaritas on Tuesday seem like they should be a deal. The hostess, however, was unapologetically rude. I saw Kelly English wandering around, but he didn't stop by our particular table. I e-mailed management that night and received a phone call the next day that was also not quite an apology. It's been two months since then, and it just isn't at the top of my list of places to go. There are similarly-priced, equally-yummy restaurants within walking distance of this one where I'm welcomed from the moment I walk in. I'll pick those any day over one where the reception is chilly (and that's putting it kindly).
(2)
Sally W.

I believe the first step to treating an addiction is publicly acknowledging it as an overriding obsession and The Second Line's barbecue shrimp about meets that criteria. The sauce is unforgettably complex and incredible to the point that we would not let the wait staff remove it until it transformed itself from shrimp sauce to a po boy dipping option! It has oyster juice, shrimp stock, Worcestershire sauce, butter and pepper making for a decadent option.. The environment is festive with a New Orleans vibe to it. Staff is attentive and quirky at times, but service is efficient. The Second Line's bread is shipped in from New Orleans and this small effort makes a huge and authentic impression. All of the sides we tried from the red beans and rice to spinach madeline were healthy portions and delicious. It was great to see Owner and Chef Kelly English a consistent presence in the restaurant checking on various tables and clients. We thoroughly enjoyed our fried catfish po boy and one made from chicken thighs. A second line band may follow the main band, but not in this case. At The Second Line, the food is the star! Overall fun atmosphere, excellent food and many reasons to keep going back! Sally
(4)
Vim I.

On a Saturday afternoon, my husband and two of our friends decided to try our luck at snagging a table at The Second Line. Knowing that it's one of the hottest restaurants in Memphis right now, we got there at 6:00 to put our name on the list. (They don't take reservations). Second Line is right next to Restaurant Iris (great spot in Overton Square)--and walking distance from the new-ish parking lot across Cooper. It's a small, intimate restaurant--not many tables--so plan ahead if you're coming with a large group. If the weather is nice, you could hangout on the front porch or the back porch while waiting on your table. We waited about 45 minutes for our table--enough to enjoy a cocktail. I had the Kudzu (which was similar to a mojito except made with cilantro instead of mint...it was crazy good!) Now for the food.... We had the BBQ shrimp (which was a John Besh recipe) with a loaf of poboy bread--it was so good, words don't do it any justice. This is a bbq sauce unlike any other. Our friends had the andouille, crawfish, pimento cheese fries--which were heavy for a starter, but delicious nonetheless. For the main course, I had the Chicken Verno--braised/shredded chicken thighs and swiss on a poboy. It was unbelievably mouthwatering. I could have it everyday and not be bored. Lots of well-developed flavor and the bread (which is imported from NOLA), was perfectly toasted on the outside but still spongy on the inside just like a good poboy should be. I tasted my husband's fried shrimp poboy which was authentic NOLA. Our friends had the roast beef poboy--which is more traditional in NOLA than a oyster or shrimp poboy, and they were very happy with it. To end this delicious meal, we had the bread pudding--it was a good end to the meal, but the po-boys are really the star of this restaurant. Not to mention Kelly English walked around the restaurant and said hi to everyone. I'll be back for sure...interested in trying lunch on the weekend.
(5)
Brad B.

There's an important question you should ask yourself, to temper your expectations here: have you ever been to New Orleans? If not, you're in for a treat! The place certainly has a New Orleans-y look and feel to it. Everything from the art, the furniture, the menus, makes you feel like you're not in Memphis. The BBQ shrimp and gumbo taste like what you imagine good Cajun food must be. They even have Crystal and Louisiana hot sauces. If you've never been to New Orleans, this is a nice little bite. If you HAVE been to New Orleans, then you'll realize this little 'bite' is not the same as a taste. Those BBQ shrimp were half the size as you'd find in any respectable New Orleans restaurant. While tasty, the flavor was a bit off (too heavy on the Worcestershire sauce?). The bread, which should have been soft and sponge-like for sopping up the sauce, was far too crispy. And when the waitress read off the dessert menu and mentioned a root beer float with IBC instead of Abita (Louisiana's very own), that's when Second Line's credibility really tanked. Seriously, if you like root beer even a little, find some Abita. They know their bread pudding, though, I'll give them that. Top notch all the way, with candied pecans, caramel sauce, and a scoop of ice cream on top. For a few minutes, all was forgiven. So, yes, Second Line has the atmosphere and the trappings of a traditional New Orleans restaurant but lacks some of the authenticity. I could see myself coming here with friends to enjoy a few cocktails from their impressive drink list, maybe enjoying a snack. Not sure I would see myself coming back just to eat. I would like to sample a few more offerings from the menu, though, so I'll give them another chance.
(3)
Mandy H.

I had no idea this place existed until a Louisiana native friend of mine insisted that we go a couple of months ago. She took me there as a treat for my birthday and it was so awesome I couldn't wait to go back. Both times that I have gone have been late evening...and, judging by the negative reviews for this place, I'm assuming day shift employees must not have their hospitality panties on like the evening shift staff. My friend and I ordered drinks off the cocktail menu...ridiculously expensive but sooo good. I don't remember what she got but it tasted like lemon merengue pie and was amazing. She ordered meat pies...unfortunately she didn't consider that they may use a mayo based sauce for them until after the order was put in and the staff were wonderful when she asked about it. She offered to scrape off the mayo sauce and they felt so bad they brought her a whole new batch! She loved them. I had the beef and gravy po boy and red beans and rice. I am a red beans and rice connoisseur, if I do say so myself...it is extremely hard to please me on that front, but these were delicious. Albeit, the second time I went, there was way too much sausage in it for my taste...but that's just my taste ;) The second time I went, my mother joined me and our server was a delight. She spent a fair amount of time explaining each item my mom asked about, and didn't seem even the slightest bit annoyed...EVEN AFTER HAVING TO RETURN THREE TIMES BECAUSE SHE COULDN'T DECIDE! Very positive attitude! Overall, I love the place. Kind of small, and the sidewalk outside is insanely dangerous. But the ambience is cozy and friendly. I'll have to swing by during the day once to see if the feel is the same!
(4)
Andy S.

The Second Line is a relatively new bar in Overton Square. It has the same owner as it's next door neighbor Restaurant Iris (This is one of my favorite restaurants in Memphis. I haven't been there recently, and I have never written a review.) The restaurant is in a redesigned house. It is always busy, especially the outside. I have only been once (to the inside), but I have tried to go several times, but didn't feel like the long wait. The type of food is New Orleans style. I love the vibe. It feels modern, nice, and kinda classy, but approachable. They have plenty of locally brewed beers on tap. They have a huge bar with tons of selections. We started at the bar, but eventually sat down. The best creation ever is the andouille, crawfish, and pimento cheese fries. Second Line takes loaded cheese fries to a new level and sets a new bar. One friend ordered a poboy. I can't remember which type. They have a lot. My friend chose the side of hot potato salad. It was good, with a kick. Another friend also ordered a poboy, with a side of fancy ass cole slaw. It was pretty good as well. Another friend ordered the fried shrimp and fries. That meal was also good. Now back to the best items IMHO. My friend and I ordered 4 things to share. I think we pretty much won on the best food chosen. We had the skillet cornbread. It came out piping hot in a mini skillet. I couldn't stop eating it; it was so good. We also got the red beans and rice. The portion was huge. Besides the wonderful loaded fries, we shared the cheese grits, which were covered in cheese. We also got a spinach casserole called the spinach madeline. It was also one of the best things of the night. They bring the checks in a cute metal cup. This is my favorite new bar of 2014. The food is awesome. The service is awesome.
(5)
Jenna B.

Even though I have a shellfish allergy, I still had plenty of options for dinner! I went on a Monday night and the place was packed, although we did not have to wait. Our server was friendly, quick, and knowledgable. I had the beef poboy with spinach on the side and it was great! My only complaint is the pricing, it is a trendy restaurant, but $15 for a sandwich is slightly overpriced. Other than that, it was perfect.
(4)
Ebonye B.

We were determined to try a new place. Second Line...you're up! We ordered the enchiladas as an appetizer. They were a tasty beginning. Frankly, I expected a big cheesy mess, but it was not. The sauce was nice- spicy, but not overwhelming. Most of the appetizers appeared somewhat small- best shared by two or fewer people. It is not a problem, but you should know up front. We both ordered the shrimp po boy. The bread was perfect and the shrimp were big, fresh and well-seasoned. The flavor was great. The bread was crusty on the outside and soft one the inside. I also ordered the greens and they were great. So with all these positive notes, you may wonder, "why just three stars?" Well, the wait was excruciating. For more than 30 minutes we had to stand in a cramped space. The sever repeatedly reached over us to grab a water pitcher. Why she didn't relocate it, I'll never know. During this waiting period, we saw several dishes delivered to the bar near us. The fries were limp and small portion for the cost. I was concerned that I had chosen poorly because nothing that came out looked particularly appetizing. While my po boy and greens were great. I haven't been inspired to endure the cramped wait to enjoy them again. I noticed they appear to be working on a patio. Perhaps more capacity will allow me to stop by and give them a fourth star.
(3)
Brandon H.

This is one of my favorite new restaurants in Memphis because it takes the kitchen from my absolute favorite restaurant in Memphis (Iris) and serves it in a more casual, less pricey fashion that fits in right alongside the other restaurants in Overton Square. I'm in love with the barbeque shrimp appetizer. Pro tip: If you want to feel good about the things you eat, though, do NOT look up the recipe. Nothing gross -- just an unholy amount of butter. Still, though, it's fantastic and I can't help but order it every time. Another advantage of this place -- the service is always second-to-none. I'm by no means a regular here. I have gone maybe once a month for the past six months. But I'm recognized and treated exceptionally well each time I come. I used to hear of some folks talking about how the Second Line was always too crowded, but I've never had that much of an issue. My wife and I went for dinner at 8 p.m. on a Friday night and were seated within five minutes. That may have been more the exception than the rule, but overall, getting seated has never been an issue. If you're looking for a place to begin a night out on the town, be it with a group or a date, I couldn't recommend the Second Line any higher.
(5)
Melanie L.

Terrific bar menu and fun atmosphere make The Second Line a great experience for a very reasonable price point. We shared starters of their famous BBQ shrimp and the marinated crab claws. My entree was the fried oyster platter which came with fancy ass cole slaw and hush puppies and fries. The gulf oysters were fresh and plentiful. The slaw was full of Asian flavors and pickled veg the fries were crispy and hot. The BBQ shrimp had a spicy flavor with lots of Worcestershire sauce and the crab claws while tiny were tasty with the lime citrus marinade. The horseradish in the cocktail sauce was especially hot and yummy with the fried food. Plates were clever mini cookie sheets and our server Jonathan made the night enjoyable. I will return to taste other items such as the famous Poboy sandwiches and the enchiladas. Each entree $12-18 and each starter $7-10 not bad.
(4)
Lauren C.

Delicious! Kelly English never disappoints. Their po boys are to die for- my favorite is the shrimp! Love their grits too! Their bbq shrimp appetizer is a must.
(5)
Laura R.

This restaurant will not disappoint. Whether it is for a special occasion or just meeting up with friends, you can't go wrong. I always order the BBQ shrimp. Get some extra bread because you will want to sop up that sauce with it. The fried oyster salad is a favorite. The oysters are perfectly fried. The Verno po boy will melt in your mouth and drip down your chin. The service is just right.
(5)
Candice C.

The patio looked great but it was packed so we sat inside. The inside is so small that you literally sit right next to the table next to you, which can be awkward if you have any sort of personal bubble. I'll echo the review regarding the vegan/vegetarian options. There really aren't many. I had the vegetarian po-boy, which was pretty good but nothing extraordinary. The hubs got the fried oyster po-boy, which he said was pretty tasty. The best part was the asian style coleslaw that came as a side. I could have eaten a whole plate of it! Overall, the food was decent. I'd come back if I could sit on the patio.
(3)
Joelle P.

I really wanted to like this place. I mean, it's Chef English, come on. But...yeah...I walked away two times feeling a bit lackluster. The first time I came they didn't have their alcohol license yet and the male bartender was extremely rude to me - as in spoke to me in a manner I have never been spoken to. The words "Well if you had listened to me in the first place" were used...but he must have gotten me confused with someone else because he never told me that wine could be brought in. Perhaps I should start over at the beginning... My girlfriend and I decide to come here but there were only places at the bar. No problem, we love sitting at the bar. So we sit down and start flipping through the cocktail menu...because it was sitting in front of us. We tried to order drinks but were taken aback when the bartender barked "We don't have our liquor license yet." Oh ok, we were just confused because there was a cocktail menu out literally in front of our faces waiting for us as we sat down...I don't think we were too assuming? So we order food but then notice a couple a few seats down has a bottle of wine. When the bartender comes back to give us our food we ask about the wine and that is when he says, "Well if you had listened to me in the first place you would have known that you could bring in a bottle of wine." And then walked off. WOW. Talk about putting a bad taste in my mouth. He never told us that! We finished quickly just to get out of there but were also a little bit out off when Chef English came by and asked literally all of their older couples how their meals were but skipped us and another table of youngins. I guess we don't count? So even after this experience I thought I had to give it another try...because it is Chef English. So I went back with another girlfriend. She got there before me and we were seated at the communal table. (Funny story, a girl I hadn't seen from high school was there celebrating her birthday at the same table. Cute!) Well at least this time the waiter was an absolute doll face. I think he said his name was Dean and he used to be a waiter at Iris. Well, you honey child get 5 stars!!! I looooved him. So funny and attentive and that boy could sell. He should be a salesman because he completely talked me into the fried oyster salad with "bleu cheese crumbles and dressing. It is a dish from Iris." Oh yeah, I bought it hook line and sinker...too bad I didn't even eat half of it. I should have gone with my first instinct and gotten the crawfish hushpuppies. And the other dish? The crawfish cheese fries that were $11? I felt ripped off because there were only 3 tiny crawfish...3...so I basically paid $11 for cheese fries. Yikes. While the food didn't impress, the drinks certainly did. My champagne cocktail rocked my face off and I had a nice little buzz after only two. Oh and the black and white silent movie(?) playing on the TVs was weird. You couldn't hear anything and it was on repeat I think. I kept seeing the same scenes. Just...odd and seemed out of place. Oh, and while Chef English did finally stop by our table this time...I don't think he ever paused...he just kept walking and kinda half asked how things were until fully stopping at another table. Not cool and now I'm kinda sad. At least it wasn't Iris prices. But I don't have any desire to try this place again for awhile.
(2)
Katie D.

I loved it here! I found out the hard way they open at 5 but oops, noted. But it was worth waiting a little. The food was phenomenal! I got the gulf shrimp. So awesome. Stole someone's onion ring. Delicious! A hidden treasure for me was their hushpuppies. Normally they're fried nuggets of cornmeal that sit and slowly get cold on my plate until it's eventually taken away. Not here. These are crab meat corn hushpuppies. Come on. Oh, and nothing fried is greasy. The fries are definitely hand-cut and wonderful. The shrimp was fabulous. I didn't get a dessert (too full) but they do sometimes get stuff from Restaurant Iris next door. So if you already like them, keep that in mind. Tonight it was bread pudding. Also, the service was phenomenal. Outstanding. Dean took care of things and made us feel like we were the only ones there. Waiters were allowed to linger at tables and chat, build up a rapport with guests. It was wonderful and very welcoming. Such a great idea as I notice all waitstaff did this. Other waiters even checked in on us, the chef Kelly English himself did too, it felt everyone working there held themselves accountable to ensure everyone working there had the best experience possible. I'll definitely be back.
(5)
Yanike M.

New Orleans style food! Good drink selections and great for small and large groups. Excellent service!
(5)
anna c.

Unfortunately, I have to give my first visit to The Second Line two stars. My girlfriends and I sat on the patio this past Saturday night, and waited quite a while for our two appetizers. Once they arrived we devoured the pimento cheese fries and bbq shrimp, only because we were starving. We asked for more bread to finish off the gravy in the shrimp dish - which is 1.00 for extra bread. I'm shocked that you charge your guests for extra bread. We then ordered our second course - I ordered the fried oyster poboy. which I didn't get to enjoy because the bottom fell out of the skies when an unexpected thunderstorm decided to rain on our parade. We moved under the bar outside. Yes, the rain was totally out of their control, but the server decided to walk our food through the rain to box it... Yeah, that happened. The first half of the poboy wasn't even that great. Finally, we were moved inside and basically ignored at that point. Our server really just wanted us to leave. We all have kids and we were trying to have a good time out; our food was bland and expensive. Oh, and valet parking is $8. Better luck next time, maybe? Meh.
(2)
Brittney H.

I knew I would love this place because Kelly English owns it. I love the feel of the restaurant! The atmosphere and outside patio are INCREDIBLE. If you go, their Po Boys, fried platters, fancy ass coleslaw, and horseradish potato salad are all amazing! :)
(5)
Libbie R.

The onion rings are the BOMB! I loved the hostess! Cool atmosphere...this is a place where you may wait especialy during brunch on the weekend. Highly recommend the brunch skillet--love the brussel sprouts. The bread pudding sauce--I could lap it up. The pudding was a little dry but the sauce makes it all worth it!!
(4)
Brian P.

Without a doubt, the BEST New Orleans food in Memphis! My wife and I went with several friends to try The Second Line for the first time. We arrived around 6:15p. The wait was about 40 minutes for a table for eight, but the food was well worth the wait. We all shared several appetizers, entrees and sides and finished with dessert. Everything was great, but the more notable selections were the fried oysters on the seafood plate, the duck confit poboy and the bread pudding. The oysters were some of the best I've ever had, and growing up in New Orleans, I've had lots of fried oysters to compare them with! The service was a little slow-paced but relaxing for such a crowded little restaurant. Our server knew the menu well, had great suggestions and always kept our drinks full and table clean. We couldn't ask for better service! Just a note - the restaurant does not split checks for large tables by food ordered. Instead, checks are split evenly between all parties - not a big deal. I love the way the place looks, and I can't wait until it's warm enough for the patio to open so I can enjoy some boiled crawfish during crawfish season!
(5)
Holly J.

First, the food was fabulous! We started with the meat pies, which were delish (although a little clove-y for my taste). I ordered the roast beef poboy with onion rings on the side, and my boyfriend opted for the chicken thigh poboy with the cheese grits. Everything was great, the roast beef especially. It was moist and tender, and the bread on both sandwiches made me feel like I was visiting New Orleans for the night. We were seated promptly, and once we ordered, our food came quickly. That was good since we were super hungry! The ONLY not so great part of our experience at Second Line was the service, and that's why I only gave it four stars. Our waiter was a bearded guy with glasses, and either he was overwhelmed with work or he just didn't care. Either way, he made us feel like the latter. I can usually cut waitstaff some slack, having worked in food service in the past, but it got a bit ridiculous toward the end. We had to flag down the hostess or other waitresses for drink refills and eventually to get the check. He didn't check on us a single time during our dinner. Despite that hiccup, I'd totally go back to Second Line. Next time I'm ordering the fries with pimento cheese and crawfish!
(4)
Rob B.

It was good. Not great. A bit pricey for the portion size. Kind of a hipster joint. Very Louisiana bayou influenced. Nice patio. Friendly staff. Worth giving a try if your in the mood for something different.
(3)
Amanda C.

I went to Second Line for the first time last weekend, and loved it. I heard great reviews and was excited to drop by. We went on Father's day, so the wait was almost an hour, but they had just added a great bar on the back patio, so none of us minded much. Once we sat down, we ordered cheese fries covered with andouille sausage and crawfish as an appetizer. It was top five best cheese fries I have ever had. The crawfish really made it and it didn't hurt that there was a bit of gravy on the bottom. Next I ordered a catfish poyboy, which was delicious. We all ordered different poyboys, and everyone loved them all. I would highly recommend The Second Line and can't wait to go back. However, I will be prepared to wait a long time for some of that delicious food.
(4)
Christine W.

I went here Friday night with my sisters. This atmosphere is great! Only downside was that the wait is LONG so be prepared to put your name down and walk around overton square for a bit. The hostess is super sweet and she was willing to put us at a tall tabletop so we didn't have to wait as long. The first thing we got was the Pimento Cheese Fries. They didn't live up to the hype. They were good, but super greasy. The pimento cheese was meh, but it was spiced up with the andouille and crawfish. One of my sisters for the fried oyster po'boy with a side of spinach madeline. YUM. The sandwich was loaded with fried oysters and the spinach was cheese with more cheese. Heavenly, creamy, and delicious. The best thing we ate that night. The other of my sisters got the braised chicken po'boy with a side of spinach madeline. They messed up and brought out the fried chicken po'boy. We didn't say anything, but the chicken was just okay. Not the best - it lacked flavor and complexity. My meal was the fried catfish po'boy with a side of cheese grits. Again, my sandwich was satisfying but lacking complexity. My cheese grits were good, but they weren't as good as Brother Juniper's (aka the end all be all to cheese grits). They had some dried stringy cheese melted on top that made it slightly unappetizing. I would definitely come back again to watch a Grizz game and grab a drink, but their food is not my favorite in Memphis. It's good for casual nights with friends. If you're looking for something fancier, save your money and head to Restaurant Iris (Kelly English's signature restaurant).
(3)
Adam C.

I thought Second Line was great. The menu is a little more expanded than what you see online. Service was nothing to complain about and the cocktails were fantasic We had the meat pies for starter, which were OK. You could tell they were overly seasoned. Still good. I had the gumbo which was fantastic. However, it wasn't like mom made it, but I don't knownif any restaurant could live up to that. Only caveat her, the cornbread wasn't needed. I wss full as is. Overall, it was great and did live up to the hype. Kelly English even stopped by to ask how we were doing, which was surprising even for a Wednesday. Side note, the clipboard menus are so overplayed.
(4)
John M.

Sorry was lacking heart and soul. Noble attempt and decor was nice as was the atmosphere. When I hear creole I expect spicy and life! Can say its good pub food at best. Neat concept and presentation just didn't get the heart and soul of the food. Flavors weren't there for me. Where was the rich butter and onion and peppers? Cheese fries (oily) Red beans and cheese grits (Bland) Beet greens (watery) Beet Shwarma (nice earthy) Hot potato salad (different) Oyster plate (saving grace) If your able to wait to eat and socialize this is it, just ashame the flavor is lost. Wish them the best of luck with the new outdoor dinning. P.R. is everything in the food industry but the proof is in the taste and it just wasn't there for me!
(3)
Lauren B.

My favorite part about Second Line is the roux, it was delicious! I am used to good roux, but this had such a rich, savory flavor that I was begging the waitress for the secret. It was the base sauce to the bar-be-que shrimp and I ate five pieces of bread just to soak it all up. I got the fried oyster po boy because the waitress raved about it, but to be honest it wasn't out of the ordinary. Not that it was bad, just not amazing. I highly recommend the red beans and rice for a side though. I loved the atmosphere, very eclectic bluesy style. And I cannot wait for warmer weather to sit out on the patio.
(4)
Benjamin D.

The Second Line is the newest brainchild of Chef Kelly English. It sits adjacent to its older and more formal sibling, Restaurant Iris. Focusing on this juxtaposition, it is not as though The Second Line is simply for the more bourgeoisie of us and Restaurant Iris is for a more refined clientele, in case you were thinking so. The concept of The Second Line is a great member to round out English's portfolio. That is to say, it is the perfect "second line" to Iris. This is a concrete concept! The menu evokes memories of Louisianan joints serving up the standards like poboys and seafood without boring you. Don't get me wrong: you have great cuisine, Louisiana, but it can become easily staid. English successfully injects some modern techniques and flavors into the milieu. And the space itself is inviting and just lovely. As for specifics, I was very happy to see Natchitoches meat pies on the menu, as I have spent time in the city in the past. For the uninitiated, this is a flaky pastry shell deep fried with seasoned meat inside. The incarnation here left just a bit to be desired - the meat was not as spiced or spicy as those I've enjoyed in Natchitoches. Add some spiciness and ditch the ranch, and you can call it a Natchitoches meat pie. The Saturday special was a duck confit hash with fried eggs. It was a great dish overall. Not perfect, as the eggs were nearly hard cooked (gotta love a runny yolk in this kind of dish), and the duck was bit scant, but certainly enjoyable. The dessert was an outstanding bread pudding served with vanilla ice cream. The pudding itself was rich, not leaden nor cakey, and the sauce was bursting with buttery caramel notes. That was the standout of the meal to me. Chef English was also kind and attentive enough to ask us how our meal was. The service was great. It was very busy for noon lunch on a Saturday (granted, it has just opened), so plan accordingly. Overall, this is the kind of place to kick back with friends and enjoy a few drinks and great food and chat the night away. I want to compare this place to East Memphis's Hog and Hominy. Both are utilizing some Southern fare, placing a modern spin on it, at an equivalent, affordable price point. Given that, I find The Second Line to be comfortable and approachable, relaxed, and frankly less sterile compared to Hog and Hominy while being just as ambitious. I'm granting five stars for two reasons: the solid concept and the potential of this to be even more special after working out some very minor kinks. I will be back very soon. Don't hesitate to enjoy this new gem!
(5)
Nolen G.

This is one of my favorite places in Memphis and my very favorite place in Overton Square. With the New Orleans based menu I was pretty skeptical as I fancy myself as a bit of a NOLA food "expert" and rarely eat Louisiana or "Cajun" food outside of the great state of Louisiana. I was seated the first time before I figured out the LA/NOLA tilt so I stuck it out. Man, I am so glad I did. I love this place. The food and the portions are great. The PoBoys are superb. The shrimp is my favorite followed by the Cheeseburger The Andouille Pimento Cheese fries are the best. Period. End of story. Go.
(5)
Reagan T.

I've been to Second Line several times although this is my first review. It's turning out to be my favorite place in Overton Square for a mature crowd and a good "grown up" drink! Dinner here is heavy, don't come if you're on a diet. Most items on both the appetizer and the dinner menu are either fried or dipped in heavy butter or sauce. I usually opt for a po-boy, the shrimp one being my favorite. The shrimp are always well portioned and well seasoned and the dish comes with fries. The drinks are likewise good, but they don't have a large variety of vodka based cocktails. Ultimately I go with the "Kudzu" or a glass of red wine and I'm happy. The thing that I like most about this spot is that the crowd isn't loud and swamped in beer and there aren't many kids running around like you find at some other spots in the square.
(4)
Brittany F.

The Second Line had been touted to me as nothing short of amazing and wonderful, and I was particularly hopeful as Kelly English studied under John Besh (spectacular New Orleans chef). While it's got a lot of things going for it, i.e. the crawfish, andouille and pimento cheese fries and bread pudding, pretty much everything else wasn't the best. It wasn't awful, but it could be done better. The drinks were great; I got the French 75, and it felt like I was at the Columns again (uptown nola). Only New Orleans can be New Orleans, but it's nice to have an homage to it in Memphis.
(4)
Michael U.

Items Selected: The Original Andouille + Crawfish + Pimento Cheese Fries The Johnny Snack - Hot Ham + Cheese with Beef Debris with Spinach Madeline Pecan Bread Pudding - Salty Caramel + Vanilla Ice Cream Opting against Restaurant Iris in favor of Andrew Michael Italian Kitchen for Friday dinner, and unable to fit the revered Memphis fine dining establishment into our schedule given their Sunday and Monday closure, it was to Chef Kelly English's more casual Second Line that we headed for a late 2pm brunch on Mother's Day and opting to sit at the bar as opposed to waiting for a table it was to Cavs vs. Bulls game four and friendly service from a young female bartender that we were treated, LeBron James' game winning three and one of the best bread puddings I've ever tasted more than making up for a menu already sold out of several items including a Goo-Goo Cluster Sundae ordered early on but given to another table for reasons only explained by a service 'mistake.' Larger in size than it looks from out front, particularly given the al fresco patio tucked behind the restaurant and shared with Iris, Second Line embraces the more casual side of New Orleans cuisine honed by English during his time in the Big Easy training under the tutelage of Chef John Besh, and with nods to his mentor in the form of prawns at the top of the menu it was with a few Second Line signatures that the meal progressed, one sandwich and one appetizer plus the aforementioned dessert providing a sizeable and affordable snack without spoiling appetites for dinner later that night. Still crowded despite the off-hour, many ladies and their families lingering over all-you-can-drink mimosas or glasses of champagne despite tables at that point devoid of food, it was perhaps fifteen minutes after ordering that a tray and two cast iron pots arrived, the former containing a ham and cheese Po-Boy topped in rich gravy alongside buttery spinach soufflÃ© while the second Staub piece contained a veritable mountain of hand-cut spuds that maintained plenty of crispness even when topped with bubbling pimento cheese and a heap of spicy sausage plus sweet crustacean that tasted as though it was just plucked from its shell. Admittedly a bit miffed that the sundae had been sold out from under our noses, but certainly not willing to pass on Bread Pudding made by a chef trained under Besh, it was much to our surprise that two ramekins of the caramel soaked brioche were served for the price of one and although we'd originally planned to share just one in order to save room for later such restraint was immediately cast by the wayside after the first bite, the custard-soaked brioche with crispy edges still quite capable of soaking up slowly melting ice cream without becoming mushy while toasty candied pecans added just a touch more sweetness to all the butter and vanilla, a classic no less perfect than that at Luke and perhaps even superior given the texture of the base.
(3)
Deanna W.

The one thing that is kinda bothersome about all these restaurants is that they don't take reservations. We had a group of 6 so I was a little nervous about the wait. Luckily, we got there around 7:30 and didn't have too bad of a wait...probably due to ice still being on the roads. I don't know if it's the fact I hadn't eaten all day, but I actually really enjoyed their food. We got two appetizers, the gulf shrimp midnight snack (which also comes with a loaf of bread!) and the andouille, crawfish & pimento cheese fries. Both were ridiculously good. My only complaint would be the crawfish tasted a little fishy, but I understand sometimes that happens. For my entree, I got the fried oyster plate. Definitely worth the $16. I was so incredibly full afterwords. It comes with a side of fries, a few hush puppies, and a little side salad. I have to say out of all the entrees mine looked the best :).
(4)
Ramona P.

My husband and I stopped here for dinner. This was our second time eating here. I'm not a big fan of the food. The menu is very small and some of the food is missing flavor. We had the following: red beans & rice (no seasoning), cheese grits (I had better....just cheese melted on top of grits), i.b.y.a. shrimp (pretty good...spicy), & gumbo.
(3)
Christine L.

I've been dying to come here, and when my girlfriends suggested this spot as our weekly ritual date spot, I more than happily obliged. First things first, the PIMENTO CHEESE FRIES. omgasm. just get them. they're drizzled with a exceptionally right amount of cheese, with andouille and crawfish to give it that little spunk in your mouth. SO GOOD. fried chicken yo po'boy - its pretty good. I'm not going to say its the best po boy i've ever had (since i've been to nola), but its not bad for an upscale foodie take on po boys. I think it could have used a little more meat, it was slightly breadier / more fried than i would like it to be. but its not bad! a good option for memphis, but im excited to eat through the menu. The atmosphere is so cute, and i love the decor. The servers are very on point, and was always refilling my water, which I super appreciate! Also one of my friends ordered a coke, and she got a refill without asking which was incredibly convenient and much appreciated! Highly recommended if you love cajun/creole food and you are a foodie. Good spot for a date night. They have a bar counter top thing where you can watch the game and drink drinks if you'd like. It's a cute little place, and I'm ready to eat through more of the menu!
(4)
Leah R.

Believe it or not, going for the first time with parents and guests. I'll admit I'm quite concerned that none of the menus I've seen have any description to them. In fact, the drink menu had better descriptions than the food menu. So I've been searching online in an attempt to get some idea of what a dish is and what is in it. First impressions are important, especially with this group. And what they order is going to make that first impression. I have a feeling our waiter is going to hate me. And I hate that. But oh well. Maybe the menu on site will be more descriptive. Wish me luck.
(2)
Mike J.

I've reviewed this place before, but my previous review seems to have evaporated... Anyway, went with friends last weekend. I have to say the hostess at the front door was anything but friendly. I was kind of put off by the cold reception. The rest of the evening was fine. Our server, Haley, was great, service was excellent. Always there just in time to refill drinks. She was friendly and very helpful. PD had a cocktail and I had a few beers. PD declared the drinks were great, the beer menu was good. Not extensive, but featuring Memphis beers on tap. We shared a cheese fries for an appetizer, it was really good. Fries were excellent, well covered by the cheese. The main courses were good, but my po'boy was a bit soggy. The red beans and rice were a bit dull too. Food was good, but not great.
(4)
Lee C.

Okay, I've been here a few times now and I can honestly say I will never stray from the roast white oaks pasture beef with gravy + swiss poboy again. It's just so amazing that nothing else I've tried compares even though everything is delicious. As always the crawfish and pimento cheese fries were a hit but we also tried a new appetizer which was some sort of battered shrimp in what appeared to be a remoulade sauce...it was wonderful but I can't remember the name.
(5)
Cedahlia S.

All i can think about is the greens i had here!!! Dare i say that they were the best ive ever had in a restaurant! I seriously thought they had my momma held up in the kitchen! I also had the oyster po boy which was unbelievable! the server did suggest that i have them put their sauce on it and wow she was on point with that! I will definitely be going back!!!
(5)
Leslie S.

Couple things worth mentioning: - the place has very few tables and it is cramped. - because of above, be ready to wait a long time. - there is bar section, but those also small and cramped. - neighborhood behind is not parking spot. Use parking buildings. There is also valet. Now, for food wise. They are good and enjoyable. There is one side item that is worth all the wait in the world, and it is red bean and rice. It is so good that I had that, and ordered and extra to go. It is super good, and feels home made.
(4)
Pamela S.

Well this place did not impress my husband and I. But it could have been because we were Hungry!!! The food was ok. I ordered the catfish po boy. It was hot but lacked in seasoning. The fries were homemade fries. Hmmm let's just say they were fries. My husband had the pancakes, bacon and eggs. The pancakes were thick (a good thing) but they gave you sorghum syrup to eat with it. For those not familiar with Sorghum syrup, it's Delta syrup or the thick syrup most of us eat with biscuits. So that was a personal turnoff. The bacon. Hmmm it was AWFUL. It had an aftertaste that we couldn't figure out what and why? We didn't hate the place but it didn't leave us with wanting to add to our must visit list!
(2)
Lisa S.

Absolutely delicious! Everything was amazing! We all shared the bbq shrimp app, the cheese fries app, the roast beef poboy, the fried chicken poboy, the shrimp and oyster poboy and the bread pudding. Trendy atmosphere and friendly servers. Would definitely recommend highly!!!
(5)
Fara C.

Love this place! Food is always on target. In the summer the back area is open (with more bar spots). Bar spots = quicker service instead of the long 1 hour wait. I always put myself on the list and scoop up a bar spot while I wait. Their po-boy bread supposedly comes straight from NOLA fwesh! nom nom nom! Catfish poboy is my favorite! but gosh not sure if you can go wrong with anything! Service is great and they can split the check! For those of you who don't know what a second line is- do a quick wiki on Nola and second line...we had one at our wedding. the theme of the restuarant (decor etc) will make more sense if you know what it means!
(4)
Jennifer S.

We got there at 7pm on a Saturday night. If you go during prime time dinner hours, be prepared to wait. We waited an hour and a half. It wasn't too bad because we got a drink at the bar, and walked across to Sweet Noshings to grab some stuff while we waited. It was nice because they call you when your table is ready, you aren't tied to a certain radius of the restaurant with one of those annoying buzzers. I was a little disappointed because I couldn't get my first drink choice because they were out of some of the ingredients, but my second choice was the Blackberry bramble and it was pretty good. Be aware, there is not a lot of space in here, either at the bar, standing to wait, or places to sit. Also, it is very loud inside. They also don't take reservations. Once we finally got to sit down, we had a wonderful waitress and great service. We ordered the Natchidoches meat pies as our appetizer and they were pretty good. Then I ordered the Verno Poboy and the cheese grits for my entree. They were both excellent. I ended up eating this meal in 3 servings. Lastly for dessert we got the maple bread pudding and it was amazing. This definitely made the meal. I would come back just to get this and the grits. Also, it was nice that the chef, Kelly English came by and greeted us during our meal. If you decide to visit The Second Line: Come early or be prepared to wait and don't be afraid of crowded and loud places.
(4)
Casey B.

I made my first trip here this week and I wish I hadn't of waited so long. We got there around 6 on a Tuesday night. There was no wait but it did fill up fast. They have local beer on draft which I like a lot. We started with the BBQ shrimp and happy enchiladas. Both of these starters were very good. We even got a second piece of bread to continue soaking up the bbq shrimp sauce. It was that good. For entrees I got to try the catfish piquant and the chicken and andouille gumbo. Each dish was superb. The restaurant was clean as I liked the ambiance they had goin. Service was quick and friendly as well. I will be back here for sure.
(5)
Chris J.

The second line may just have the best fried shrimp in Memphis, TN. The actual restaurant is a little small and congested when they are busy, but the patio is super nice. This is our second time here and a restaurant that I highly recommend!
(5)
Eugene C.

Good food. Really hot due to summer I'm guessing. Bar staff was a little disconnected but it was busy.
(3)
Frank R.

Not impressed at all. Excellent service. The chicken gumbo had no flavor,spinach dip was bad..what the hall,why was voted one of the best new restaurant in Memphis? I think ppl need to re-think about good food.that was fast food .
(2)
Steve S.

We opted to join some friends for lunch at the Second Line following church today, which was, in retrospect, a bad decision. The attitude of most all the staff we interacted with was sharp and abrupt. In the 30 minutes we had to wait for seating to be arranged, we were not directed anywhere to wait besides standing by the bar near the entrance, which judging by their attitude and comments irritated the, what I will generously refer to as, wait staff greatly as they pushed by us repeatedly. After approximately the first 10 minutes, I began trying to get the bartenders attention to order cocktails, I was ultimately unsuccessful in this endeavor and finally a kind lady who was seated at the bar ordered the drinks I wanted for me. Upon learning that we were waiting to be seated outside on the patio from what turned out to be the manager, I told him that a member of our party was sensitive to the heat and could we possible move the three tables in the front of the restaurant, I was told that would block the other tables up against the wall in. I didn't happen to have a measuring tape with me so I can't be certain, but there seemed to be room there to me. Additionally there were another 3 tables in the middle of the place that it seemed could have been moved to accommodate us had our "hosts" wished to do so. Upon being ushered out to the patio, I noted that it was nearly empty and there shouldn't have been much of a wait period if we were going to be seated out there. Then there was our "waitress". She was brisk with several members of our party, although painfully slow to ask about or bring the checks. We had to ask another staff about the checks before it occurred to her that we might be ready to depart despite everyone having finished what they could stomach of their particular meal and having gotten another staff member to put the remainder of one of our party's meal in a to go container . Although my catfish po'boy ,the i.b.ya. shrimp, the enchilada and the cocktails were tasty with the shrimp being very good, nearly half of our party of nine were quite dissatisfied with their entrees . I spoke with the manager and told him of the experience we'd had. While he did apologize for our experience and said he hoped I wouldn't think it was the norm for the establishment. If I spend $10 at the drive thru at Popeye's and bring to the manager's attention that I've had to wait overly long or am treated poorly by the staff, I end up with a coupon for a two piece chicken, yet having spent $150 here I get a partially sincere apology?
(1)
Kevin M.

Amazing! The BBQ Shrimp is my new favorite dish in town. I call it a dish because its richness and size belie it being an appetizer. Any of the platters are wonderful. But the po-boys? Ah heck. That fresh bread and gulf seafood is a real taste of the coast (but maybe better) i even love the "hot- ass coleslaw" which is very Vietnamese inspired. (Seaweed+cabbage) The dirty Marty's are on point as well as that bread pudding. And I noticed that they have mostly a regular menu available during brunch, very convenient. But that brings me to another topic; brunch... Which is amazing, and I think available Saturday AND Sunday. Very quality joint midtown is lucky to have it... Go!
(5)
Laura S.

When we arrived there was about a 1.5hr wait. I sat at the bar and tried to order 2 different drinks. They couldn't make either drink because they didn't have the ingredients to make them. I finally settled on the blackberry bramble. It was good and waay stiffer than I thought. I was semibuzzed off of that one drink and for $9, not too shabby. I and the cheese fries and meat pies for starters. Both were pretty good. A tiny bit greasy for me but not off-putting. For entrÃ©e I had the oyster poboy with cheese grits. I added the fancy ass coleslaw on my sandwich which was an excellent choice! The oysters were crisp and didn't taste overly "fishy". The cheese grits were on point. I'm on a grits kick right now so they satisfied it. For dessert we had the bread putting. That stole the show for me. I would come back and eat just that and be completely happy. The caramel sauce was perfect and the maple took it over the edge. I highly recommend the bread pudding. It could easily be shared by 2-3 people. Our waitress was awesome and attentive. She also knew the menu very well. I was happy to have her and would be happy if I got her again. We did experience the same thing many other people experienced where the chef come around and didn't stop at our table. I would have have given a 4 star but I was sad about the drink situation, no reservations, and wait length. It was also extremely loud inside the restaurant. I would go again to try some of the other menu items and especially the bread pudding!
(3)
Andrea M.

Love this place! Me and my husband ate here twice within a two week period. The first time we brought our aunt and uncle and sat at the bar until a table was available. We each had a drinks and we all enjoyed them,the bar tender was nice and attentive. We had a wonderful waitress and the food was great. The highlight to the evening was the bread pudding! Now, I'm not a bread pudding person but this had vanilla ice cream on top with a caramel sauce. Needless to say I couldn't stop talking about it so the next week we had to bring my in-laws and they were also impressed and of course we had the bread pudding again!
(4)
Amanda M.

My friends have raved about the patio here and about how good the food was. I was so excited that I arranged my birthday party here. First off, this place is NOT good for large groups and they are NOT afraid to tell you so. They don't take reservations, so planning for a large group really isn't feasible. My dinner was on a Monday, and I called a week ahead and then again on that day, and the hostess was trying to deter me from even coming it seemed. We all showed up and they made it happen, but damn, I felt like a bother up front. Food was excellent! Everyone seemed to be happy. The Pimento Cheese fries and the shrimp appetizers were especially delish! However, I can't bump up the stars because the portions are rather small and their prices rather high. Overall, it was a good experience, but it didn't leave a lasting impression....
(3)
Clark P.

This is my first time to second line and it definitely takes second place, obviously to Iris, but, more importantly, to other restaurants in its price range in the Overton square area. I went with a group of four and we had several apps and po-boys. The hot ham and cheese po-boy is deceiving in name because it represents a pulled pork sandwich. Consequently it went uneaten by the person that ordered it. I had the roast beef sandwich (Kelly's favorite) and it was average at best. The fries were excessively salty and the meat pies had far too much clove (I think it was clove). Overall I just was not impressed with the food. Also my buddy ordered a beer and it was a 7 oz which gave us a big laugh. The ambiance was odd. Paired with inventive food and the changing of silverware after apps, was the fact that the food was served on tin trays of some sort and dish towels as napkins. I found this odd. Is the place fancy, in the middle, a dive or just really confused?
(2)
Lisa C.

I love trying new restaurants and this place hits the spot. I went when it first opened and it was totally busy so the wait was a little hard to handle but understanding that it was all good. Food made it worth the wait! The Chef is really personable too... He came to ask about my friend and I's food. Must Go!
(4)
Zachary P.

Really good food for the price but I am not a fan of High Cotton Beer which is all they serve :(
(4)
Rich H.

I was hungry, thirsty and tired when our Memphian hosts took us to The Second Line for dinner on a Friday evening. We accepted the 45 minute wait with a stiff upper lip and went to another restaurant for a beer -- being promised a phone call when our table was ready. About 30 minutes later we received the call. We hustled over to The Second Line and were promptly seated. Within moments a cheerful waitress greeted us and took our drink order. The menu is simple and direct. Ditto the wine and beer list. Plenty of unique options. We ordered barbequed shrimp for an appetizer. It appeared in less than 5 minutes with a loaf of Po'boy bread. Spicy perfection. I split a Shrimp Po'Boy and cole slaw with my wife. The Po'Boy was wonderful and tasty. The other people in our dinner party raved about the food. Service was exemplary -- no fewer than four servers brought food, refreshed water, and bussed our table. We were never rushed -- just received great attention. We parked about a block away in a garage. Easy! The Second Line is loud. Not too loud for normal conversation, but don't go there to spill your guts to a friend or break-up with a girlfriend. A "must-try" restaurant in Memphis.
(4)
Brandon M.

Chef is on point. Everything I've ever had from here was great and reasonably priced. Cocktails are really good too. They're a little pricy
(5)
Tiffany L.

During the recent #memice winter storm scare, I decided that if I were going to be snowed/iced in, I wanted my last meal to be delicious. We didn't get hit with the worst of the weather, but my dinner wasn't in vain. I was able to finally (okay, so the restaurant hadn't even been open a full week) try Kelly English's new eatery, the Second Line. The menu is separated into four categories: "Eat These Things First" (starters), "Poboys" (traditional New Orleans style sandwiches), "Plates" (entrees) and "Groceries" (sides). The space is casual, but classy. It would be a great place for a girls or guys night out, but it's nice enough to be a great date night destination. Tom and I arrived early (5:30 p.m.) on Thursday, and I would suggest that you do the same. By 6:30 p.m. the place was packed. Since there's no reservation system, and there's not much of a waiting area, you might find yourself standing around staring at everyone else's delicious food for quite a while. Once the weather perks up, the large patio will be available, and that should alleviate some of the pressure on the dining room We started with the Natchitoches meat pies. Think fried pie, stuffed with a savory filling and served with a creamy dipping sauce. They were delicious; I could have made a meal with just an order of those and side salad. For an entree, Tom chose the fried seafood plate, which is three types of seafood (oysters, shrimp and catfish) with fries and hushpuppies. I went with the Verno poboy, and it was just how a poboy should be - juicy, braised chicken thights, Swiss cheese, lettuce, tomato and pickles. All poboys come with a choice of one side. I snitched a couple of Tom's fries and chose cheese grits for myself. All in all, I think the Second Line is an excellent addition to Overton Square in Midtown, Memphis. They don't currently have their liquor license, so they're only serving beer at the moment. Before too long, diners will be able to select a delicious craft cocktail from the full bar and have access to the entire Restaurant Iris wine list.
(4)
Lisa M J.

Despite overall "meh" and "it's alright" descriptions from friends, I was excited to try this place as Iris is generally the most solid bet in town (if you plan ahead and can get in). I wend in with an open mind, but in the end walked away feeling disappointed with Second Line. New Orleans food means different things to different people. The menu at Second Line seems like it is trying to kick up standard NOLA po-boy shop and festival foods into casual fine-dining flare. The menu, in this regard, is not well balanced. Food items are very heavy throughout -- think starches, starches, starches and fried, fried, fried. Fine in moderation, but not well balanced with options of lighter menu choices. For example, of the two salads one has fried oysters and the other was smothered in feta and vinaigrette that was essentially all oil. Overall, execution was okay, not great. Seasoning and attention to detail off in over half of our menu items. Didn't love the presentation (metal trays, metal bowls -- nothing breakable in that place save the glassware) and the fact that there is no place to really stand/wait inside when the tables are full and bar seats occupied. Kind of wish this was a lounge/expansion of Iris rather than a separate concept. Bottom line, if you want classic casual NOLA food - take a weekend trip and dine out in New Orleans.
(2)
Lana M.

The most authentic Cajun food north of Louisiana. Many wonderful Cajun PoBoys. I selected the healthy option on the menu and it did not disappoint me. The Mississippi Catfish Sauce Piquant was perfectly seasoned and very tasty.
(4)
B M.

I have been to the Second Line twice and enjoyed both meals, but the second meal was one of the best I've ever had. My companion and I began with the French 75 cocktail - a delicious blend of champagne and gin. We split the sausage and pimiento cheese french fries as an appetizer. As my entree I selected the Chicken PoBoy with the cole slaw as my side selection. So good! Chicken fried exactly right with just the right blend of condiments sandwiched in french bread that is the right amount of soft and crusty. The Slaw had something chinese about it - like it had a sesame oil or something in. Whatever it was, was delicious. I was unable to finish all of the food and enjoyed it all again the next day for lunch! Can't wait to go back.
(5)
Micah W.

It was perfect. You can tell that everyone working there is really devoted to making the place a success. The cocktail prices look more reasonable than I think is usual. I stuck with beer, almost all local brews on tap. I had the meat pie, roasted beat shwarma, green onion and oyster rangoons to start. And for dinner I had the besh, barbecue shrimp poboy. I know you're all "WOW, he most definitely over ordered!" Or "I bet he's significantly over weight." Well, it was my birthday....so screw you. For dessert, I had Restaurant Iris's bread pudding.....dead. So great. If you can't afford/can't get into Iris, this will definitely do. My server was Jon David, he looked like a model.
(5)
Niltiac M.

The atmosphere was good, it is really tiny inside so get there early or be prepared to wait- we had about a 30 minute wait which wasn't bad as we got beers from the bar. On draft they have all local high cotton beers, I like that. Now the food...started with the crab hush puppies, oh.my .gosh...the most delicious hush puppies I have ever ate. Seriously amazing. We both got subs, I had the catfish poboy and my boyfriend had the beef and Swiss poboy. His was better than mine. I would pass on the catfish poboy next time...too thin of a piece of fish for the baguette they use on the poboy. Bread was way too thick and crunchy. Fries I wasn't a fan of either. Looked like they had been dropped in the grease and deep fried about 3 times...really dark brown color and soggy. Overall I don't think our meal was worth $65(after tip)...but I would be back-only for drinks and appetizers though. Def wouldn't make this a new dinner spot. Patio should be nice when it's warmer outside too
(3)
Todd H.

Rather disappointed. I am a big fan of Iris however this endeavor was not worth the drive, time, or money. We started with the crab/corn hushpupies and were surprised at the greasy, heavy flavor. It was as if the grease needed to be changed. I asked the bartender for a dark and stormy and he asked, "rum and ginger beer?". If a bar stocks ginger: beer I think the barkeeper should know. I switched to goose and tonic and it was a very honest drink. The shrimp poboy was good. Not great; but good. The fries came out the exact same as the hushpuppies leading me to believe it is a Grease problem. Nice atmosphere but I expected more from Chef English.
(2)
L Q.

I went with a large party (6) on a Wednesday. It was crowed and we squeezed in 4 at the bar seats. Many couples and parties of 4 where seated, all who came after us. We waited over an hour and were seated only after complaining. The wait was mitigated by some tasty food, with a creole + southern fried flavor. Bbq shrimp, fried oysters, french fries and gravy (poutine), hush puppies, rice and beans. The crab fritters where difficult to differentiate from hush puppies. The Wine list was ok and moderately priced. Draft beer selection was limited. As noted in other reviews, I concur that the bar tender was condescending. The Po boy, roast beef, was good but could have had more beef. In summary, the service limited the experience, the food was very good, but lacked the creativity of the best restaurants that I have been to. Will I go again? Yes, but never with a large group. Hog and hominy, another small plate restaurant, is better.
(3)
Latrice P.

not impressed. po boys are waaaaaay overpriced. if you dont have takeout please train staff not to say you do! jeez.
(1)
Donte C.

I have been to the second line a few times now and I am going back today. The place is absolutely beautiful. If you want to go Here for a date or meet up with friends this is definitely the place. The food is affordable and since it's by Kelly English it is amazing.
(5)
Libsey J.

So, we are huge fans of Luke in NOLA, so this seemed like a great idea. And we were so right!! Just got home from an early dinner with my husband and 6yr old. Chelsea, our server, was fabulous. Let us know what wasn't too spicy for our son and she was spot on. Po' boys, Oysters and shrimp are amazing. And great wine list too! We will be back. Thanks Chelsea for a great experience. Yum!
(5)
Charles F.

We had a great time at Second Line. If you ever have a taste for BBQ shrimp and can't get to New Orleans, this is the next best thing. The bread is amazing and if your a sopper, you will instinctively know what to do. You will need extra bread and it will cost a buck and that's alright. They have to buy it and it is well worth it. The wine list is decent and the pour is fair. Our disappointment came when Chef walked into the dining room (it was 5:15 and my wife and I were the only ones in the room) and he never spoke, said thank you, have a good time, nothing. It would have been nice to have been acknowledged for patronizing a business. Other than feeling insignificant as a customer, this is a fun place to go and we look forward to going back.
(4)
Jenn S.

If my friends could have eaten their Po Boys any faster, it would have been embarrassing. They loved them all! Fried oyster salad app is great and the chicken gumbo was too! Best part of this restaurant? The bar and bartenders! Jacob knows his stuff and they make unique flavored syrups and drinks on request! This is a hot spot that's worth rubbing elbows for!!!
(5)
Claire W.

I am from Louisiana so I have eaten a lot of seafood in my life. Second line is like going home but with a twist. Loved the cole slaw! If you're a Cajun food fan - GO HERE
(5)
Ross G.

What a beautiful restaurant and patio. Went for a weekend lunch and had a good meal with good service. 3 stars because that described the food. When you first walk in the main dining area is super inviting and totally current with Edison bulbs a plenty and a tasteful shabby chic meets raw materials. Totally dig the interiors. A large well stocked bar lines the right side of the dining room. Host and hostess were kind and prompt. Off the back door is a great patio with a huge footprint likely the size of the indoor dining area essentially doubling the seating for the restaurant, another well planned shabby chic bar lines the right wall. The food...nothing to write home about. We had a po boy and a brunch special - they were both alright. Don't think I will crave the food. I will crave hangin out in the patio. Each food item was missing that ingredient that really would have elevated the dish to something great. The ingredients are all there but failed to really pull together for a wow meal. Apps and drinks on the patio are the way to go.
(3)
Laura H.

Solid food, good service. Not a "get rowdy" type place.. good for a low-key night. Decent beer and wine selection. Have the BBQ shrimp anything (sandwich or appetizer)... I really liked the O.G. Sandwich. Don't knock it until you try it!
(4)
Caroline S.

Like others, I wanted to love this place, but I can't say I do. It's mediocre at best. Good things: great bar/bartenders, nice atmosphere, food is at a fair price point Bad things: service, small menu I hate to review a restaurant based off of service, but the experience is one to share. We arrived at the restaurant at 8pm and the hostess said 45 minute wait and that we could not even wait inside of the restaurant. No big deal, there are plenty of restaurants/bars around to grab a drink. After 55 minutes we had not heard from the hostess so we walked back to the restaurant. We get there and hostess problems 10 more minutes. Long story short, we ended up waiting 2 hours and still did not have a table. Ended up eating at the bar because the hostess still did not have a table ready. Food was not bad, but nothing to rave about. On the bright side loved our bartenders. Very friendly and knowledgable!
(3)
Jessi M.

This place was so fun! I'll start off with telling you that dinner and weekend hours are incredibly crowded and the waits are long, BUT this place is worth the wait. The cocktails are delicious (personal fave = Violet Femme) and the shrimp po boy that I had was amazingly good! The staff was funny and friendly, and Kelly English can be seen wandering through checking up on things.
(5)
Gary E.

The patio is fantastic, like being in the backyard. Food was outstanding, as you would expect from Chef English. One word for first timers...what they call a "Po' boy" is a real misnomer....these are exquisite! The catfish was great. The best part was our waiter, Jeff. Best waiter in Memphis! Very knowledgeable and nothing bothered him....all my wife's usual substitutions were no problem. We will be be regulars!
(5)
Curtis B.

Fair warning: I'm a Kelly English FAN. Caveat emptor. We finally made it to the Second Line this weekend and absolutely loved it. I'll tell you why I like it and you can decide for yourself if it will suit you. To us, The Second Line felt very much like a more casual version of Iris. We got the same attention from the wait staff that you get next door. No rushing here, even with a huge crowd. Our waiter walked us through most of the menu, which we love. I'm sure if you say you've been before you can skip the fanfare but we appreciated the time he took. He was covering a very very large section, but the kitchen runner and the hostesses pitched in like crazy. I felt at any time that I could have made a request to any of them and they'd have gladly taken care of it. As they may have been slightly understaffed that night, I appreciated their attention to the guests. On to the food. Yes, it is more expensive than your average poboy, etc. On the other hand, everything was made in the Iris kitchen by the Iris staff. If you love Iris but feel like wearing jeans, don't have a reservation, and don't want to spend 2 hours and $100 a person it is fantastic. The portions sizes are very large, which I am sure will help people feel like they've gotten their money's worth, but this is a notch up from bar food and the prices are a notch up as well. We had the bbq shrimp, fried seafood plate and the chubby vegetarian. The shrimp was the star of the show, but the other two very much met expectations for coming out of the Iris kitchen. The sauce the shrimp was in was so good I poured the rest on to my fries. I did it in front of the kitchen runner, and he offered to bring more if I wanted. That kind of thing, to me, is the difference in this restaurant and others serving similar fare. In summary, we felt we got our money's worth here. It is great to be able to get your hands on Kelly's food without having to make a reservation 3 weeks out. P.S. Don't skip the bread pudding.
(5)
Carl H.

Food was lacking. A few good spots but certainly not worth the price. Drinks ok. Service was good but not stellar. Probably will go elsewhere.
(2)
Alan P.

This place has fresh food and an great innovative food and drink menu. Go put your name on the list early and then go grab a drink at Local. Second Line will call you when your table is ready, it was awesome. Food is great if you are ready to break away from the chain restaurants plaguing Memphis. Kelly English knows what he is doing.
(5)
Lil B.

I wanted to like this place, i really really did. My sister talked about going here for weeks and tonight we finally decided to try it. The place itself is very adorable, and cozy, which always helps your eating experience. We ordered two starters and ordered the seafood plate. All of it came out at once, which takes away from having a starter menu. The seafood plate, well how do I put this, was disappointing. It was $18, and what you get is 4 oysters, 4 shrimp, piece of catfish, a little bit of fries, and a spoonful of coleslaw. The coleslaw was just nasty, it tasted nothing like Creole and more like they were trying to go for oriental, which was weird. I know seafood can run on the more expensive side, especially fresh, but really $18 for that. The hushpuppies were under cooked, the outside was crispy but the inside was grainy because the cornmeal was not cooked. One of the starters we got was pimento cheese crawfish fries, which sounds really good, unfortunately the crawfish were bland, the fries were greasy, the cheese was good, but its hard to go wrong with cheese. Crab boil is a really good thing to use when boiling crawfish, gives them flavor. The catfish was on the bland side as well, and the batter was not sticking to the fish, you could easily pull the batter off the fish. The oysters were actually good, and you could tell they were fresh and not frozen. So good job on the oysters. There were some things that i did enjoy. The drinks are really good. I ordered the 6 toed cat, and i would order it again, if I go back, the oysters were good and fresh, and the rum sauce on the bread pudding was really good. Its hard to not love rum, butter, and sugar mixed together. The bread pudding itself, like most things I had here tonight was bland, and a little burnt. The service was really good, the best part of the dinning experience actually. I am really sorry, but i think you have more than just a couple of kinks to work out before i can rate it higher than 2 stars. I love Creole food, I grew up on it, and it just didn't make my list of recommended places to eat here in Memphis. I will say this, its a new place and the food just doesn't have the wow factor yet, but I have hope that it will.
(2)
red f.

"Third try to come here. Waited an hour for the table, then 15 minutes for anyone to say hello or take our drink order even." That was my first attempt to review- have been back since and though service was better I remain nonplussed. I found the menu redundant and overpriced, and the cocktails creative but unbalanced. And FYI there is no lamb or meat of any kind in the shwarma. It is $9 beets and feta. I will say the oyster salad ($13) delish albeit petite, and the bread pudding: bam! Chef English says this recipe came from his grandma. Worth it for the hard core Po boy fans but o/w skip it and spend it on a great meal at Iris.
(2)
Miriam S.

We made our second trip here, and we were as impressed this time as the first visit. A restaurant in Memphis with a 30 minute wait on a Tuesday must be doing something right. Sitting at the bar is a great alternative to waiting in line and the bar tenders are friendly and attentive. The cheeseburger po'boy is phenomenal and could become a real guilty pleasure. Crispy buttered bread and phenomenal sauce. Pimento cheese fries with andouille and crawfish are a nice filling app in a rich roux and a great starter for sharing. As far as the groceries/sides go, Spinach Madeline is a must and the red beans and rice were a tad off (under seasoned and soupy). All in all a great meal, we will definitely be back. Can't wait for the weather to warm up for the patio.
(4)
Tameka W.

I recently shared with a few friends that I would love to try some privately owned restaurants. On July 18, 2014, my date and I decided to try the Second Line. We arrived there around 8pm and were completely taken by surprise because we were not expecting it to be so crowded. The hostess told us it would be an hour wait before we could be seated. The hostess, who was very sweet by the way, also gave us options to sit at the bar on the inside or outside while we wait for a table. However, both bars inside and outside were full. Due to my date and I being on a bit of a tight schedule, we decided to leave and try the Second Line another day. We were literally almost to our car and we heard someone yelling "excuse me". We turned around and the hostess was literally running after us. She wanted to let us know that a table had apparently become available because a couple decided to sit at the bar. I was so astounded!!! It took me a minute for me to grasp what was going on. THE BEST CUSTOMER SERVICE EVER is what was going on!!!! Never in my 30 years have I ever experienced anything like that. That was so awesome!!! Kudos to the hostess. She was amazing!!! To top the service off with an excellent experience, the food was amazing and so was our waitress. The environment was absolutely amazing. I will definitely be eating here again. Great job to the entire staff!!!
(5)
Oscar M.

This is based on just one visit, and so I look forward to revising if our return trip warrants, but the first experience was so bad that it seemed important enough to post. After beers we ordered po' boys and sides of greens. The menu offered very few options beyond what they deep fry, and while fried stuff is a treat it's usually not what I'm in the mood for on a Wednesday night. They need more interesting choices. The po' boys were imaginative and tasty, but the greens were sandy, I mean teeth-grinding sandy right from the first bite. Our servers checked in quickly to ask how things were, and when they heard about the grit in the greens they replaced them with a different side. Problem was, again, very few choices unless we wanted fries. We opted for a cole slaw, which turned out to be seasoned with sesame oil. Asian slaw and a traditional creole shrimp sandwhich? I'm sorry, no. All respect to Kelly English, but if he wants to make this place go he needs to learn how to wash his greens.
(1)
Rebecca R.

I've been here several times with my husband and we always have a positive experience. The food is teriffic and very flavorful - I always leave a little too full though!! Their back patio is awesome on a weekend afternoon for grabbing sandwiches and a few drinks. It's maybe a little overpriced for how casual it is, but we'll definitely be back!
(4)
Amelia K.

Great service and atmosphere can't make up for the fact that it sucks to be a vegan at The Second Line. Although, the service is so fast and friendly it almost could. At first I was told they can make the Chubby Vegetarian Poboy vegan, but then that was retracted because the Worcestershire sauce they marinate the mushrooms in may contain anchovies. The only other option was the Feta Shawarma could be made vegan, but I am always reluctant to try veganized dishes where a cheese with such an overbearing flavor as feta is featured in the name. At that point, it's likely to not even be close to the intended dish. Maybe I'm self-centered, or maybe because it's 2014 and vegans are a large and quickly growing part of the Memphis dining community, but when a restaurant doesn't have a single vegan dish that needs no modifying, I feel like that's just laziness and frankly, rude. Ah well, thankfully Memphis is a great place to be a vegan with several restaurants with delicious and creative and well-planned options including but not limited to Imagine Vegan Cafe, Jasmine, Fuel, Ciao Bella, RP Tracks. . . I'll stop there. In summary, service and environment are 5-star, vegan options 1-star.
(2)
Jeffrey C.

Second line is amazing, great food, good service, and very comfortable. You MUST try the pimento cheese fries, they are the BOMB!! I would recommend this place to everyone!
(5)
Kaitlin S.

Service was good, drinks were good, food was not good. Shrimp po boy was cold and so were the grits. Flavor was just blah. Not impressed.
(2)
D'Marie C.

The food was good but overpriced and left me wanting more.
(3)
Mocca T.

Soso overall, better bar food basically in a nice atmosphere and welcoming (and color coordinated with the walls), great maitre d. We split pimento fries that came out warm, not hot. None were crunchy, even those not covered with cheese were soggy soft. The oyster poboy was a okay, the fried oyster got lost flavor-wise. The cole slaw was a very salty Korean kimchi inspired version, nicely crunchy. The shrimp poboy was strongly spiced (not hot), which dominated the shrimp too much for my taste. Kelly English himself was making the rounds multiple times.
(3)
Charles C.

I went with a party of 5 early on Saturday (11:20 AM). We were told the wait would be about 30 minutes so we stayed because we were all excited to try it for the first time. The wait was an hour and a half with parties who had arrived after us, of all sizes, being seated before us. We ordered and my order came out wrong, so I sent it right back to be fixed. By the time they brought it back everyone else in my party had finished eating so I asked them to get it to go. After another 15 minutes they brought it back without including my side item, which I had ordered and not even touched. It's a very small restaurant. I can understand the wait and wasn't overly put off by that, but for their prices and for what they're trying to be, they should be a lot better than they are. Deja Vu or the Bayou sell largely the same things for 30% less although I suppose there you don't get to brag about dining with Memphis' version of a celebrity shift. I'll never be back, and I'll encourage others not to go.
(1)
Lauren R.

I have never, ever had a worse experience than the one I had it second line tonight. Luckily Manager Jeff and the rest of the staff was there to right that wrong. After being treated like a second-class citizen by another patron, Jeff took the lead and the initiative to make sure that my Second Line experience was not tainted. I am a firm believer that a restaurant is made or broken by the experience more so than the food. Don't get me wrong, the food here is quite spectacular, but in the end it is just a sandwich y'all. The people and the ambiance truly make this place a gem (and it doesn't hurt that they deliver consistently delicious food and drinks). Thankfully Jeff was there to remind me that though they can't control the people that walk in the door acting like they deserve a table more than others, they can control the way they treat each customer with respect and dignity. Kelly English has more to be proud of than a solid poboy; he has truly aligned a team that makes this restaurant worth visiting time and time again, and for that he should be proud.
(5)
Melissa P.

Just finished dinner at the second line and it was delicious!! I highly recommend the crawfish, andouille sausage, pimento cheese fries. They are over indulgent, sinful and delicious. The crawfish tails were very large too. The meat pies were just as delicious. Served with a creamy mystery sauce that had just the right amount of kick. The happy enchilada was good too. Now on to the po boys. Each is served with your choice of side or "groceries". We ordered the oyster and the shrimp. The oysters were cooked perfectly and very large. The bread has just the right amount of crunch I the crust while having a soft center. A true baguette. The shrimp po boy was the star in my opinion. I'm sad I didn't order it. But my friend was kind enough to let me have a bite. The shrimp tasted as if it had just come from the sea. The texture of the shrimp was perfect. I will be ordering this the next time I go. And on to the sides or "groceries". We ordered the greens, onion rings and the hot potato salad. The greens where done very nicely and not over cooked. I liked that they were kept intact and not chopped. The onion rings were ok. Not bad but not my favorite part of the meal. The hot potato salad was sooooo good. It is not served hot. It's actually made from baked potatoes mixed with a creole mustard mayo mix. Very delicious!! The space is not large, it is very popular, so be prepared to wait. They didn't have their liquor license yet, but had a good beer selection of local craft beers on tap. I did notice that a few tables had brought their own wine. So keep that in mind. I cannot wait to go again!
(5)
Emily W.

I had been wanting to try this place since before it opened. I love Restaurant Iris and have been many times. I read about the Second Line opening in a recent Food and Wine issue and tried to get in with a group of 9 one night for a birthday party at 6pm and the most they could accommodate was 6 (there was only one table and it had just been seated). I went back for lunch this Sunday with my husband at 11:30 a.m. I was so excited! We ordered the "midnight snack" as an app. The "brioche" was more like a piece of soggy texas toast with 3 small shrimp, a poached egg and whole grain mustard sauce on top. Well below my expectations. Then we had an oyster po'boy which was mostly just bread with the "hot potato salad" (potato salad with horseradish which was about the only thing that was good). I ordered the fried seafood plate with the crawfish, andouille and pimento cheese fries. The seafood was thrown on the plastic plate with some cocktail and tartar sauce. I have seen better at Captain D's. The breading was very bland on the seafood. Nothing special at all. I was so disappointed:( The fries were a soggy mess with bay leaves still in the crawfish soup/ topping and the andouille was tiny little cubes with no taste smothered with cheese and pimento spread. The food was absolutely bland which was a complete shock for a New Orleans themed restaurant. Salt and pepper even were severely lacking! All in all, for $65 for only food and no drinks for a Sunday "brunch" I was incredibly disappointed. I will go to Iris instead next time and hopefully Kelly is cooking cause I know that weren't him yesterday!
(1)
sarah w.

Can I do 3 1/2 stars? It's an in-between-er for me. We finally found the time on a Monday evening to try Second Line out. We hate crowds and there was no way we'd venture to try it later in the week. Silly us...we went on a Monday which happened to be the most beautiful day of the year. It was jammed. Lucky for us we found two seats at the bar. We'd usually prefer to sit here anyway as it's more entertaining. You can pick the bartenders mind and it's less weird to lean over to the person beside you and say "what are you having?". In this case, I asked the gentleman sitting next to me for a full review on the onion rings because they looked awesome. So we started with a couple of the house cocktails and an order of the Cheesy Crawfish Fries. Ooie gooie goodness. We then ordered a bottle of wine and the braised chicken po'boy (delish)and the coleslaw side. When the food came and I could smell toasted sesame oil...what?!? Don't get me wrong, the coleslaw done in an Asian style was awesome in flavor. Better than the version I tried to make at home not long ago. But what a bizarre pairing...I had southern food on the brain and not sure where this Asian slaw fits into the picture. When I mentioned it to the bartender I got a look like that said "sorry, I should have warned you". Back to the awesome looking onion rings....The guy described them almost as funnel cake rings (yum) but the thing I noticed is that there wasn't a sauce served with them. Bummer. There's another restaurant in town that makes it's own ketchup (how hard could it be?) and I think this is an awesome touch. Another serves a bourbon mayo. Why would you go through such the trouble of making delicious fries or onion rings and serve them with bottled ketchup? Well thought out food needs well thought out sauces. Loved the "low country" dÃ©cor, with the water spigot light fixtures, cookie sheets serving trays and cast iron dishes. One tiny, itsy, bitsy critical thing.. I felt the silverware was too fancy for the rest of it of the dÃ©cor. My guess is that it's the same from Restaurant Iris but I have a thing about silverware. Too heavy, too light... I notice.
(3)

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Address : 2144 Monroe Ave
Memphis, TN, 38104
Phone (901) 590-2829
Website https://www.secondlinememphis.com/
Click To Get Directions

Opening Hours

Mon :5:00 pm - 10:00pm

Specialities

Takes Reservations : No
Delivery : No
Take-out : Yes
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Good For : Dinner
Parking : Valet, Garage, Street
Bike Parking : Yes
Good for Kids : No
Good for Groups : Yes
Attire : Casual
Ambience : Casual
Noise Level : Average
Good For Dancing : No
Alcohol : Full Bar
Happy Hour : Yes
Best Nights : Thu, Fri, Sat
Coat Check : No
Smoking : Outdoor Area/ Patio Only
Outdoor Seating : Yes
Wi-Fi : No
Has TV : Yes
Waiter Service : Yes
Caters : No

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The Second Line

2144 Monroe Ave, Memphis, TN, 38104

The Second Line Menu

Eat These Things First

Poboys

Plates

Groceries

Healthy Meal suggestions for The Second Line

Eat These Things First

Poboys

Plates

Groceries

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